KB Asante: Voice From Afar column
Are we moving towards a one-party state?
Hardly anyone who is unhappy with the state of the nation’s economy will disagree with the 22-point summary of the conclusions of the National Economic Forum at Senchi.
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But who is to formulate the policies suggested precisely, and then design the plans and strategies to implement the agreement? The suggestions or decisions of the forum have political implications.
Therefore although I believe the NPP should have taken part in the forum, I understand their reluctance to be drawn without much preparation into decisions which though necessary would raise political questions in implementation.
Many people in Ghana do not take politics seriously. They believe politics to involve any dubious means to acquire power to promote personal and group interest.
When something serious happens in the administration of the state, the refrain of many is ‘it is all politics’. It is taken to be pointless to confront the incident. ‘Anybody else would do the same’.
The days following independence when politics meant arguments to strengthen some moral principles, and extend justice beyond the courts to the minimum requirements for human existence are over. Normally political parties are in effect coalitions with various aims of improving human condition. Therefore it is not difficult for different parties to come together or reach a consensus when the national interest so suggests.
Kwame Nkrumah attempted to establish a one-party state in Ghana but failed mainly because he was believed to be a dictator. Moreover, the educated have been brainwashed to believe that there must be two parties to have democracy.
The success of virtual one-party states like India (for many years), Malaysia and Singapore is ignored and the supposed or real oppression of the opposition by the dominant party is highlighted.
Kwame Nkrumah realised that for rapid and necessary development the considerable talent outside his party, the CPP, should be involved. He was maligned but the problems caused now and again by pointless opposition have remained.
After the first round of elections involving Dr Hilla Limann and Victor Owusu in 1979, there were serious talks about a coalition because of the difficult economic and social situation of the country.
I was Secretary-General of the Social Democratic Front which though it secured only three seats in parliament had great potential.
It was a great relief to me when after days of discussion and argument the coalition agreement was confirmed in the house of the late Mr Harry Sawyerr.
The liaison of the AFRC, General Hamidu, was informed and Mr Justice Kingsley-Nyinah led us (the representatives of the political parties) to inform the assembled AFRC military leaders.
Unfortunately, the proposed Vice President of Dr Limann who would then have no post scuttled the agreement. To me it was a sad day for Ghana.
The problems which we sought to resolve with the coalition still persist. Efforts made by the PNDC to solve the problem by ourselves and with the help of friendly governments could not resolve the situation.
Eventually we had to go to the IMF. Harsh conditions were imposed according to the rules. The IMF later arranged measures to mitigate the punishing effects which produced what Ghanaians in their admirable humour called the ‘Rawlings Chain’.
The Rawlings administration got us through this difficult patch and President Kufuor continued the hard task of administering a rich but impoverished state. The late President Atta Mills did his bit which President Mahama had to maintain and improve upon. It appears that President Mahama wants to deal with the heart of the matter by difficult but necessary measures which would require a national consensus.
I believe he is right because some of the proposals suggested at the National Economic Forum will cause some heart-searching among even some members of his own party.
Now that the recommendations of some of the finest brains in the country are known, President Mahama may wish to approach the opposition party again to agree on at least some basic measures. Cross-party understanding is necessary to resolve the economic problems which confront the nation today.
The array of talent which made the suggestions at the forum was as impressive as it was depressive. Why have we remained so backward with so much expertise around?
The unsavoury fact is that the elite have not fully discharged their responsibility but have generally withdrawn into their closet and ignored the underprivileged.
Many Ghanaians have not seen much light for 50 years and the ‘Sodom and Gomorrah communities’ are dotted all over the cities! They have not been much touched by the huge amount we spend on education. And they are many.
The Senchi accord is an opportunity to examine the meaning of democracy and politics in depth and employ these concepts to build a strong and brave Ghana of socially diverse but united people.
